Pitch Not-So-Perfect
by Spatrick730
Summary: Beca's life was incredible. She had a perfect boyfriend, friends who were more like family, and a job she loved. But what happens to her relationships when she is offered her dream job? Can Jesse win back the love of his life? Or will their story come to a tragic end? Please enjoy my story, it's the first thing I've ever truly sat down and written. And thank you for the reviews!
1. Chapter 1

Beca leaned back after announcing her choice. She knew Jesse would appreciate it; after all, it was from one of his favorite movies. Knowing the rest of the Bellas were just as capable as she was in selecting the new recruits, she zoned out, thinking of the last couple of months with him. After the finals and the mind-blowing kiss, it had been a whirlwind of random movie nights, impromptu picnics on the lawn, and juice pouches. Always juice pouches. A smile played around her lips as she recalled the time she finally introduced him to her father as her boyfriend. She assumed he would play the part of the perfect gentleman, but he couldn't resist the chance to find out more about his girlfriend from someone else.

"So Jesse, how's it going?" her father asked, wondering who this guy was that finally broke through his daughter's shell.

"Oh it's going wonderful, sir. I was just telling Beca that the only time I had met her father was outside a police station, and I was afraid I hadn't made the best first impression," Jesse replied.

"Believe me, you did all the right things that night, unlike someone else I know," he said.

"Dad, come on, I'm right here," said Beca. "You should be able to look back at that night and laugh by now, I know Jesse has."

"You're right, you're right. You've always been a bit of a firecracker when it comes right down to it. I remember a certain little girl who used to fight boys at the playground so she could have a turn on the swing," Dr. Mitchell grinned. "In fact, does Jesse know about your high school graduation?"

"Dad, please, you're embarrassing me. He doesn't need to know about that," Beca begged.

"I disagree, this sounds like exactly the type of thing I need to know," said Jesse. He loved it. He knew Beca would never tell him, and any chance to get under her skin the way she got under his was one he would take regardless of the outcome.

Beca zoned back into the auditions. They were nearing the end, and Fat Amy was nudging her in the ribs.

"What's up?" she whispered.

Fat Amy leaned in and said, "This girl can sing. Like really, just as good as Chloe can."

Beca glanced down at the forms on the desk. Her name wasZoey, and Amy was right, this girl was incredible. Unfortunately, she was the only one of the ladies auditioning who could hold a tune. There was another girl named Courtney who was an incredible dancer, though she was pretty far behind in singing. To Beca, this wasn't that big a deal. She could work with these two.

Tommy walked back on stage as Zoey walked off. The auditions had ended.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, you will be contacted directly if any of the groups want anything to do with you. I'm sure they are just as disappointed as I was this year. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other shit that needs doing. Peace out."

Beca collected the audition forms for the two girls she planned on inviting to the Bellas and got up. "Nice song choice, Beca," Jesse whispered from behind. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Don't sneak up on me like that you nerd," she smiled. The effect he had on her was something she would never get used to.

"You know, I thought you might choose that song," he said with smirk.

"Oh? And how could you have possibly known that?" she asked, genuinely curious. She knew she had given him no hint since he had asked a week ago.

"Easy, I heard you humming Tiny Dancer in the shower this morning," he said as his face went from a smirk to an idiotic grin.

"You are getting to know me all too well, Mr. Swanson," she couldn't help it as she slipped her arms around his neck. His grin was now a full on expression of utter happiness, knowing what was coming. Their lips met, and they didn't have a care in the world.

They walked to the radio station together. It was Luke's senior year, and he had finally given them both the opportunity to run the station on occasion. Beca was incredibly happy. Since she came to Barden, joined the Bellas, and met Jesse, her life was finally sorting itself out. She still wanted to go to LA of course, but she knew it could wait. Barden had become her home, and it was mostly because of the boy whose hand she was holding as they entered the station.

"Jesse, you're late. Becky, the booths all yours," Luke smiled, knowing Luke was just messing with Jesse. As of late, they had developed a kind of older brother, younger brother relationship where Luke would constantly rib Jesse, and Jesse would give it back just as well.

"You always let her off the hook… I can't understand it. It must be because she's so pretty," Jesse said. "I suppose you'll be wanting a burger then?"

"Not today Jesse my boy, not today. I've got an interview to go to at 96 Rock in the city. I probably won't be back until Monday, so I am leaving the station in Beca's incredibly capable hands. But I swear to God, no sex on the desk. I'm serious." Luke waved goodbye on his way out of the station.

"Do you know what this means?" Beca asked.

"Oh I have a pretty good idea," said Jesse, as he inched closer.

"Good. I want a double cheeseburger and a milkshake. You'reBeca's bitch now," she laughed.

"Well played Beca. Well played indeed," Jesse replied, making his way out of the station. As he walked to his car, he reflected on just how far their relationship had come. They had truly been together since the finals, and it was going perfectly. Granted, she still wasn't ready for sex or anything, but that didn't bother him. It was about so much more than that with her. He was in love, and there was nothing standing in his way. He was ready to tell her. He started his car and tuned the radio to the station. Hearing another one of her incredible mash-ups, he couldn't help singing along at the top of his lungs. He was on top of the world, and he was never coming down.

Beca had gathered the rest of the Bellas in the auditorium. They needed to go over who they each felt was best to carry on the tradition of a Bella woman.

Fat Amy was the first to speak. "I really like this Zoey chick. She's got a great voice."

Everyone else nodded. Stacie spoke up, "Yeah, Beca, I don't really think there was anyone else really decent auditioning. I think with Zoey we'll be set for the next couple of years."

"Do any of you have anyone else in mind?" asked Cynthia Rose. Everyone shook their head. Everyone that is, except for Beca.

"What about that girl who was dancing all over the stage,Courtney?" she asked, hesitantly. She had a feeling what was coming.

"You mean the walking dingo attack? She sounded like a kangaroo caught in a koala trap," Amy said. The group laughed.

"I mean it, that girl could dance. She could teach us a thing or two, and we can bring her up to speed on the singing," Becasaid.

"I guess you're right… But I mean, it's up to you, you're the boss," said Stacie.

"No, no, no, no, no. We aren't doing that this year. I want everyone to vote. We're better as equals here," said Beca. She was firm on this. This year, the Bellas would be ready to go from the very beginning. She called a quick vote. She seemed to have everyone convinced, although some half-heartedly.

"Good. Then I guess I'll call them and we'll get ready for A ca-initiation night. Hands in girls!" she said. She was excited. Initiation night was next week, but right now, she had a date she needed to get ready for with a certain treblemaker.


	2. Chapter 2

Alright, everybody, this is chapter two. I mapped out the entire story so far, and I hope to do something about this length every weekday. Thank you all for the kind reviews, this is by far one of the most satisfying things I've done. I hope you enjoy it!

"Dude, you need to calm down," said Benji. Jesse was pacing back in forth in the living room of the Treble's house. "It's just another date, right?"

"Not this time, buddy," Jesse replied. For Jesse, this was more than a date. He'd finally decided it was time to tell her how he felt. Tonight, he wasn't holding back. "I've been planning this moment almost since I met her. I love her. God, that's crazy right? I mean, we're sophomores, practically kids, and here I am ready to tell her that."

"I had no idea…" said Benji. Jesse glanced up. "Just kidding dude. It's been obvious for quite a while how you feel, and I'm sure she feels the same. Just go for it, you'll be fine."

"Yeah, sure. I just really want this to go well tonight. Anyways, what are you doing tonight? As a matter of fact, why are you all dressed up?" Jesse asked, noticing for the first time the button up shirt and khakis Benji was wearing.

"You're not the only one with a date tonight bro. Let's just say Benji will be casting his own spell on a lucky lady."

Jesse stopped pacing. This was big news; it wasn't everyday that Benji had a big date. "Who is it? Do I know her?" he asked.

"Stacie."

"Damn." Jesse grinned, "Good luck man. My baby boy's growing up!"

"Yeah, yeah, cool it. I'm gonna head out and buy some flowers. Have fun tonight," Benji waved goodbye as he walked out the door.

Jesse sat down. He couldn't wait for tonight. The feelings in the pit of his stomach were nothing new, he felt them the first time he laid eyes on her. From the back of his parents' car, staring out at this girl unlike anyone he had met before, singing to her without realizing he was doing it, he was hers.  
He went to the sink to get a glass of water. His throat was dry, not because he was thirsty. It was because for the first time in his life he was actually nervous. He could stand up on a stage, in front of thousands and sing like Freddie Mercury, but this, telling Beca he loved her, felt like a thousand tiny butterflies flying their way up his throat. He could only hope she felt the same.

Meanwhile, in the house the Bellas rented out together, Beca was going through her own nervous thoughts. She was standing in front of the mirror in the bedroom she and Amy shared, staring at her reflection. Jesse had told her to dress up tonight, something he hadn't done before. Normally on their dates, she'd wear some dark jeans, a flannel shirt and leave her hair done. Tonight was different. Stacie had helped her pick out a dress and some heels, and sat her down to do her hair and make-up. She thought it might be too much.

"Good lord, Beca, you look incredible," said Amy. Beca was wearing a tight gold and silver dress, with her hair done up on top of her head.

"You don't think it's too much?" Beca asked. She felt the same way she did wearing the Bellas' old uniform. "I know I'm gonna trip in these heels, they're way too tall."

"Bitch, you need to relax." Beca grinned. Amy had a way of settling her down. "You look fabulous. You better be careful though, Jesse might get a little hands on when he sees you," said Amy.

"Oh you know Jesse isn't like that, he's a gentleman."

"Still, he won't know what hit him," said Amy. She got up from the bed. "I'm gonna go get some food with some of the girls, have a good night, you sexy little twig." Amy walked downstairs yelling for Cynthia Rose to grab her car keys.

Beca couldn't help feeling nervous. She didn't know what to expect tonight. Jesse had seemed a little off for the past week or so. He'd zone out when they were talking, just staring at her. She'd often have to say something ridiculous to get his attention back. She glanced at the clock. It was still an hour until he'd pick her up. She thought about turning on her computer and throwing a few songs together, but she found herself walking towards the movies she kept next to the TV. Opening up the case with The Breakfast Club on it, she reread the note he'd left for her.

"I want you to have my copy. You really need to get on the ball and watch it, it will change your life."

He'd given it to her after he showed her the ending last year. It was to be the start of her movication. She hoped he realized exactly how much it meant to her. She popped it in, to have some background noise while she finished getting ready.

Jesse looked at his watch. He had just enough time to stop by the florist on the way to the Bella house. He grabbed his keys, locked the door and hopped in his car. His stereo was already playing one of the many mixes Beca had made him over the summer. This particular one was his favorite. When he had first heard her sing it at Nationals, his heart leapt. He had been so miserable about everything that had happened between them, and shutting her out was the wrong idea. He remembered sitting down in the Treble's reserved row, dreading watching her perform. He heard the first notes of Don't You, his mind not really listening to it. Then he looked up and there she was. Staring right at him. Singing that song, their song. It was obviously her way of trying to win him back. He'd had to remember to breathe for a moment there, letting her voice wash over him, when it happened. The question in the song mirrored the question in their hearts. When you walk on by, will you call my name? He'd raised his fist in answer.

He'd arrived at her house, without fully remembering buying the roses sitting on the front seat. Putting his blazer back on and grabbing the flowers he slowly walked up the path to her front door.

She heard his knock and made her way over to the door. Beca opened the door slowly, still hesitant about her outfit. "Hey," she said quietly. He didn't respond. Jesse stood there, dumbfounded, holding a beautiful bouquet of roses out for her.

"Beca, you… just, wow. These are for you," he said giving her the flowers.

"You're not so bad yourself, mister," she said, smiling from ear to ear. Anytime she could make him speechless was worthy of remembrance. She grabbed a vase from under the sink and filled it, dropping in the flowers. "These roses are beautiful, Jesse."

He had finally found his voice when she turned back around. "I can think of something just a little bet prettier," he said.

She walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Jesse held her with his arms around her lower back, pulling her close. "What might that be?" she asked.

He kissed her, wondering if he'd ever be able to do so enough. Beca made him feel as though time had stopped just for them. He finally drew back. "You, of course. Always you. Are you ready to go?" he asked.

She had to pause and catch her breath, as she always did when they kissed. It was incredible. Perfect. "You haven't even told me where we are going yet," said Beca, picking up her purse. Not really her purse, it was Stacie's, and it just happened to match her shoes.

"Then we should get going, I don't want to keep you in the dark too long," he answered.

They arrived at her father's house. She was confused, unable to figure out why he had taken her here of all places. "Jesse… What the hell are we doing here?" she asked, looking over at him.

"Well, it is kind of a long story. The other day I was thinking about how I have never cooked you a real dinner. I thought about doing it at the Treble house, but it's disgusting, and I would never be able to get all of the guys out of the house for the night. So, I talked to your dad, and asked him if he wouldn't mind letting me borrow it for a night. You know he's out of town right now, right? He said yes, so here we are!" he answered, hoping she wouldn't be too disappointed.

"This is quite the surprise, Jesse. I love it," said Beca, getting out of the car. It was just like him, to plan something romantic that she wouldn't see coming. They walked to the door and he opened the door for her. "So what are we having for dinner?" she asked.

"It's an old family recipe. Have you ever had jambalaya?" he asked, opening the refrigerator.

"I've heard of it, but I've never had the chance to try it. It better be good," she smiled at him. He winked back.

"It'll knock your socks off, Beca," he said. He got out all of the ingredients and began cooking, walking her through the recipe. Soon, the house smelled of saffron, clove, onions, celery, ham and chicken. It was intoxicating.

He took his apron off, setting it on the counter beside them. "We have to let it sit for a little while," he said, making his way over to the stereo. "The rice needs to absorb the water. In the meantime, Beca Mitchell, may I have this dance?" He had put a song on, something she hadn't heard before.

"I would be delighted," she answered, walking over towards him. "What is this song? Is…" she thought she recognized it for a second. She remembered Jesse working on his keyboard a couple nights ago, playing this same melody. "Jesse, is this you?"

"It's us," he said, taking her hands. "I wrote it. This is everything I feel when I think about you Beca. I finished it last week, I was just waiting for the write time to play it for you."

It was incredible. There were no words, but listening to his fingers flow over the keys, producing a sound that she could tell was all him, was more than she could take. "It's perfect," she said, lowering her head to his chest. They swayed for only a few minutes, her listening to his heart beat, him perfectly at ease with the world. When the timer went off, she could have sworn it had been hours or even days since they began.

He pulled away. "So… are you hungry?" he asked. She nodded, smiling.

Jesse fixed them each a plate and grabbed a bottle of wine out of the cupboard. Pouring it into two glasses, he said, "I have a confession to make… This is the first time I've ever cooked. If you don't want to try it we can go get chinese or something."

Beca laughed. "So, you drag me out here, make me this incredible dinner, dance with me to a song that you wrote just for us, and expect me to not eat it? Sit down, grab a spoon, and dig in. I already know it's good, I watched you make it." She raised the spoon to her lips, blowing lightly on the steaming rice. His eyes were still on hers, waiting for a response. She chewed, slowly, then swallowed. She smiled at him and said, "Jesse, it's delicious. Now, stop watching me eat and have some."

He laughed. He couldn't help it. This night was everything he dreamed it would be. The way she looked, the way she looked at him, her smile as she heard his song, her delight at the meal, it was all perfect. Just like her.

He cleared the table after they finished eating. Pouring a little more wine, he sat down beside her on the sofa, content to just linger in her presence. They finished their wine in a comfortable silence. Beca cleared her throat and said, "Jesse… Will you play the song again?"

He grabbed the stereo remote and pushed play. Starting the song over again, he got up and took her hand in his leading her into the middle of the living room. They danced.

"Beca… I need to tell you something," he said, as they twirled about. "Tonight, I wanted this to be special." He stopped. Leaning back slightly he looked into her eyes, flicking between them like he could never get enough of her face. "I am so in love with you. I have been for such a long time now, and I couldn't wait any longer. I… I love you." Her eyes left his, looking anywhere but at him.

Beca caught sight of something on the mantle above the fireplace. She turned back to Jesse. "I'm so sorry… Would you please take me home?" she asked, eyes moist.

"What's wrong? I just told you I love you, and you want to go home? I don't understand," he said, wondering how this night could have suddenly gone so wrong.

"It's not you, it's me… I... I'm just not ready. Please understand, I have to get through something before I can tell you that I… how I feel," she said. She grabbed her purse and walked to the door.

He was hurt. At the same time though, he was hopeful. She was close. It wouldn't be Beca if he didn't have to fight for her. "I think I understand… For now anyways. Come on, I'll drive you home."

He didn't speak on the way back. Beca stared out of the window, silently. She wanted him to understand her when it came to this, but it would take time. She knew in her heart she loved him, but there were things in her past that made her hesitant to really and truly open up completely to him.

Jesse dropped Beca off and kissed her goodbye. "It's okay, really. I can wait. You're totally worth it," he said, walking away. She waved, not quite meeting his eyes. He got back in his car and drove back to the Treble house. Letting himself in, he could hear a rhythm coming from his room. "Good for you Benji," he whispered to himself, laying on the couch. Jesse knew she would come around. He couldn't help wondering what it was that freaked her out so badly.


	3. Chapter 3

**I really want the rest of the chapters to be about the length of chapter 2, if not a bit longer. When I started this, I really wasn't sure how it would be received. Honestly, seeing all of the notifications just of people following the story is just badass. This shit is addictive. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys chapter 3. Feel free to review, it's nice to hear what people think. Since everyone else is doing it, I don't own any of this stuff but the plot. Man, I can't wait to write the riff off scene.**

Beca felt miserable for what had happened. The night had been perfect. As she waved goodbye and closed the door on Jesse, her mind raced. What would have happened tonight if they were anywhere but her father's house? Why did seeing that picture on the above the fireplace affect her so? She knew she had fallen in love with Jesse, like he said, it was inevitable. They were meant for each other. But seeing that picture of her father and stepmother worried her. She began to think about the future, their future. Could she accept knowing that someday down the line their feelings might change? Her heart broke at the very thought. To put Jesse through that would be torture. Ever since her parents' divorce she had always wondered if she was damaged. Like any little girl, she had always planned a dream wedding, thinking about her dress, the groom, the church she'd be married in. But all that was thrown away after the divorce. She became withdrawn, icy. Before she realized it, she was lying in bed, beautiful dress and all, crying herself to sleep.

She woke up on a sunny Saturday morning, eyes puffy from the night before. She checked her phone, just in case Jesse had called her or texted her last night while she slept. There was nothing. Beca made her way silently out of the room so as not to wake Amy, and tiptoed down to the kitchen. It was still early; no one else had woken up yet. To get her mind off of a certain Treblemaker, she decided to make breakfast. Before long, the smell of bacon was wafting through the house.

Amy was the first to wake up. "You're up early… or are you just getting home?" she asked, noticing Beca was still wearing the dress from last night.

"Afraid not… it was kind of a weird night," said Beca, flipping the bacon.

"Oh kinky, what did he do, give you a bloomin' onion? An outback surprise?" she said, giggling and slapping Beca on the ass.

"Oh nothing like that. I just freaked about something, and I might have hurt his feelings, I don't really want to talk about it."

"Talk about what?" asked Cynthia Rose, yawning as she walked into the kitchen.

"Beca just had a weird night with Jesse," explained Amy. "She doesn't want to tell me what happened, but if I had to guess, I'm guessing he got a little too worked up if you know what I mean."

Cynthia Rose just nodded and winked at Beca. "Good job girl, you gotta be able to put these boys in their place. Show em whose boss."

Beca groaned. She really didn't want to have to explain what happened, but she was close enough with the Bellas to give them most of the story. "He told me he loved me, and I just wasn't ready for it. I just… freaked out a little bit."

By then the rest of the Bellas had woken up and were sitting around the table. The five of them were looking at Beca oddly. "Are you telling us you don't love that boy? Cuz that's bullshit Beca, we've known for a while," said Amy, picking up a few slices of bacon.

"It's not that, I do love him… I just, I've never said that to anyone, and once you throw it out there, that's it," she explained, trying not to let on about how she felt about love in general. The Bellas knew about her family, but to explain that she didn't think she could ever fall in love or get married because of her parents' divorce was a bit too personal. "I hope I didn't hurt him too much."

"Bitch please, that boy would follow you to the ends of the Earth, he ain't going nowhere," said Cynthia Rose.

As Beca sat down to eat breakfast with her friends, the door opened, revealing a certain Bella who was positively glowing. Stacie had a smile plastered a mile wide across her face as she walked to the kitchen table. She sat down without a word.

"So….. Where have you been?" said Amy. "Which lucky lad did you devour last night?"

Stacie giggled. "Benji," she said, taking in the silence that followed her announcement.

"That's unexpected," whispered Lily. She'd gotten better at speaking up, but it was still tough to hear her sometimes.

"He's really sweet y'all, and he's got magic fingers I swear," said Stacie, fondly recalling last night.

"Okay, that's more than enough information for one morning," said Beca, getting up. She cleaned off her plate and put it in the dishwasher. Suddenly feeling icky in her dress, she went to hop in the shower. While washing her hair, she began humming, not really knowing what tune it was. Thoughts of Jesse's face as he told her he loved her swam into her mind. She realized with a start it was his song. The one he made just for her. She knew she still wasn't ready to say those words, but she'd make sure he knew they were coming.

Jesse's back was killing him. Sleeping all night on an uncomfortable couch with a bar digging into your spine will do that to a person. He'd been awake long enough to see Stacie sneak downstairs and out the door, avoiding the Treblemakers who would no doubt use that opportunity to get some digs in. Finishing the coffee he made, he headed for his and Benji's room. "Benji?" he asked, "You in there buddy?"

"Yeah man you can come in," said Benji from behind the door. Jesse could hear the glee in his voice. If he had to guess, Benji had one hell of a night. Still, he didn't expect to find him wearing boxers, a cape and nothing else.

"A cape huh? How'd that work out? Nevermind, I don't need details," said Jesse, grinning at his roommate.

"You'd be surprised at what a little magic can do to a woman," said Benji. "I need to take a shower real quick, but then I want to hear all about how your night with Beca went."  
Jesse relaxed on his bed, checking his phone to see if Beca might have texted him. There was nothing. He sighed, thinking about the night before, wondering what he could have done differently. He was sure she felt the same, but he still would have liked to hear her say those words. He didn't imagine it, he distinctly remembered her starting to say it before swallowing her words. He'd just have to push a little bit more.

The water stopped running in the bathroom, and Benji walked out in a towel covered with Star Wars characters. "So what happened last night, man? I didn't expect you to be back this early," he asked.

"Yeah it didn't go quite as planned. Everything went perfect up until I told her, then all of a sudden she was grabbing her purse and asking me to take her home," said Jesse.

"Ouch. Sorry bro, maybe she's just not that into you?" said Benji.

Jesse shook his head. "It's not that, I could tell she was about to say it. She told me she just wasn't ready yet. I mean, you have to admit, it is a big step. Hell, I was nervous about it yesterday."

Benji nodded wisely. "There is much fear in her. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."

"It's too early for Star Wars quotes, Benji. I'm gonna hop in the shower," he said, getting up.

Jesse turned the water on, shedding his clothes. He'd fallen asleep wearing his good burgundy blazer, knowing he'd have to get it cleaned and pressed again shortly. He turned the water on full heat, letting it wash away his worries. Not that he was that worried about Beca, if he was honest with himself, this was about what he expected. They'd been together for months now, and he was beginning to understand her more and more.

"Jesse! Beca's calling you!" shouted Benji.

Jesse smiled. His back still ached, but his heart leapt. "Could you tell her I'm in the shower and that I will call her back?"

"No prob!"

Jesse wrapped up his shower quick. Throwing on jeans and a plain white t-shirt, he walked back to his room and grabbed his phone. "Did she say anything else?" he asked.

"Nope, just wanted to talk to you I guess," said Benji.

Jesse put his shoes on and walked downstairs. He passed Donald's room, where he could hear him beatboxing. He grabbed a pop tart and walked outside, breathing in the fresh morning air. He called Beca back.

"Hello?" her voice came through the speaker.

"Hey, it's me just calling you back… What's up?" he asked. He couldn't help smiling when he heard her voice. She sounded like herself again.

"Jesse," she said, "about last night-"

"Look it's no problem. I understand. We can take it a little bit slower, it's really not a big deal," he cut her off.

"No it's not that, I just wanted to explain… Do you want to get together for lunch?" she asked.

"I'd love to, how about the usual spot around 11:30?" he said.

"Sounds good. Don't forget my juice pouch," she answered.

"Never," he said, "I'll see you then."

She hung up and he looked at his watch. Only two hours till lunch. He had time for a movie.

Beca was glad she'd called. Jesse didn't sound upset with her, in fact, he sounded almost happy. She'd thought for a few moments that he'd be depressed or even angry with her, but no. He was the same happy nerd she'd come to love. She could imagine his smile through the phone; she could hear it in his voice when she asked him to lunch. This was the kind of thing a relationship like theirs was built to handle.

Around 11:15 she decided to get ready for lunch. She put on some jeans and a flannel shirt, running her fingers through her hair. The night before, Stacie had showed her how to stylishly pile it on top of her head and now it was a hanging down like it usually did. She liked it that way.

Beca didn't have far to walk, their spot was actually just around the bend from the Bellas' house. She smiled as she saw the blanket he'd laid out for them. She saw him glance her way, eyes brightening as he saw her.

"Hey," he said, stepping towards her, "You hungry? I made sandwiches and I've got some pretzels."

She grinned. "I guess it's no old family recipe, but it will do."

Jesse set out a couple paper plates and unwrapped the food. He knew she'd tell him whatever it was she needed to say, but he wouldn't bring it up first. "There we go… A nice little picnic."

They ate first, relaxing in each other's company. This had become their spot, ever since that first day when he threw the juice pouch in her lap. It was peaceful, and they had a beautiful view of the campus. Beca drank most of her juice in one long gulp. Biting the straw between her lips, she began," Jesse… Last night was incredible. I'm sorry I had to ruin it." She paused, trying to find the words. "I want you to know it was nothing you did. It was just, I saw a picture of my dad and his wife and it brought back all these feelings. About us, about what might be in our future. It's just too soon for me…" she trailed off, looking into his eyes.

"Beca, this is my fault. I know I push you to open up to me more and you do, every day. I just didn't realize you felt like that… about love," he said. She glanced away. "I have no problem waiting to hear you say it, even if it takes years. It's not gonna stop me from telling you, of course," he grinned.

Beca snuggled closer to him. He was taking this incredibly well, she thought. She turned her face towards his and kissed him. Pulling back, she said, "Good. Because I love hearing you say it."

Jesse had that big stupid grin on his face that she loved so much. "Now that that's out of the way, what did you think about the auditions? Will there be any new Bellas this year?"

She nodded. "Two, as a matter of fact. Courtney, that blonde girl who was dancing throughout her song and Zoey."

"I thought so, Zoey could really sing. And let's face it, your choreography leaves something to be desired," he said, smirking.

Beca punched him in the arm. "You're just jealous of the huge trophy sitting in our room," she said.

"Maybe… maybe not. If there was anyone I didn't mind losing to, it's you guys. Anyways, we've only got one invitee this year," he said.

She raised an eyebrow. "Who? That really short kid?" she asked.

"His name is Eric Allen, and he just so happens to be Bumper's little brother," he said, waiting for her reaction.

"You're kidding. Bumper was such a dick sometimes," she said, frowning.

"He's actually pretty normal, his brother was the only one we needed to replace this year. It works out. Are you guys pumped for initiation night or what?" he asked.

"Depends… Are you gonna get wasted and say my name like a bird call?" she smiled.

"Absolutely," said Jesse.

"Then yes. Consider me properly excited," she laughed, "I can't wait."

Over the next week, Beca and Jesse had each contacted their new aca-initiates. On Friday, Beca and the rest of the Bellas put hoods over the new girls and brought them into the darkened auditorium. They had lit candles and filled a goblet up with juice, ready to begin the ritual.

"I'd like to welcome the two new Barden Bellas for this year, Courtney and Zoey!" she said, taking off their hoods. She launched into the same speech Aubrey had given her last year, leaving out the part about getting Treble-boned. She wasn't a hypocrite, after all.

The two new girls were exuberant, Zoey in particular. Joining the Bellas had long been a dream since she saw them perform at nationals. She grabbed both of Beca's hands tightly. "Thank you sooooo much! I won't let you down, I swear!" she said, a little forcefully.

"Relax, Zoey, I'm sure you'll be fine," she said, turning to the rest of the group. "Now, who's ready to get wasted!?"

They made their way to the outdoor auditorium. Oddly enough, they were one of the first groups there. Amy had already tapped the keg and was passing out cups as more people filtered in. After two beers, Jesse and the Treblemakers still hadn't arrived. Midway through her third, and really starting to feel the effects of the alcohol, she heard a familiar call.

"Be-caw!" Jesse shouted, making his way over. She laughed at him, quickly moving into his waiting arms.

"It's about time," she slurred, "I feel like I've been waiting here forever."

"It's been like twenty minutes at most, how much have you had to drink?" he asked.

"A couple of beers… but I'm a small girl, this is more than enough for me," she said, finishing off her cup.

Jesse laughed. "I think you've had enough," he said. She had closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. They remained that way for a while, basking in the glow of the lights and the beat of the music. The auditorium slowly emptied, leaving just a few behind.

"Jesse?" she asked, not quite awake, "Will you walk me home?"

"I'll do you one better," he said, getting up. "Hop up, I'll give you a piggy back ride."

She laughed and climbed up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. "Thank you… This is lovely."

"Happy to do it, babe. Let's get going," he said, walking towards her house.

She was asleep by the time he'd got her inside and up the stairs. Opening the door to her room, he carefully ducked inside, trying not to smack her head on the doorframe. As he laid her down on her bed, he kissed the top of her head and took her shoes off. He shut the lights off and started to close the door. He stopped for a moment for one last look. "I love you, Beca," he whispered.

"I love you too," she whispered back.

In that moment, Jesse was the happiest man on the planet. No one could have brought him down off the cloud he was walking on. Skipping down the stairs and out the door, he laughed. He hoped she would remember this in the morning. As he walked down the sidewalk towards the Treble house, he raised one fist in the air, playing the words over in his mind.


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter was a kind of hard to get going for some reason. But anyways, I hope you like it. I also want to explain a couple things that I've been asked. I decided that at Barden, freshmen were required to stay in dorms. I figured since the trebles had a badass house with a hot tub, the girls could have one too. So Imagine a four bedroom house with each room housing two of the girls. I also decided that Benji and Jesse would take over Bumper's old room in the Treble's house. It just made sense.  
**

Her phone would not stop ringing. Beca was lying in bed, eyes closed, but not really sleeping. Her head was pounding with a hangover brought on by a long day setting up for initiation, not enough food, and too much beer. She'd already silenced her phone, but hearing it vibrate atop the dresser was really starting to piss her off. She picked it up again. "What? What do you want?" she asked, wondering why she was being woken up so damn early on a weekend.

"Beca? It's Luke, I need you to come down to the station right away," said Luke.

"Jesus Christ, Luke, it's nine AM on a Saturday. I don't know how things work across the pond, but in America we sleep in on the weekend," she replied, still refusing to open her eyes. She knew the sun would be just a tad brighter this morning.

"Oh shut up and just get down here. Jesse is already here and for some reason won't stop smiling at me. It's getting right creepy," he said.

She paused. Had something happened last night? She was still wearing the same clothes she had worn to the party, but the last thing she could remember was hearing his goofy bird call of her name. "Fine," she said, "I'll be right there." She hung up. She took a couple of aspirin to help with her headache. Deciding she didn't have time for a shower, she walked downstairs and grabbed a pop tart on her way out. No one else in the house had woken up yet.

She was right, the sun was almost unbearable this morning. She fished around in her purse for her sunglasses. That's better, she thought, making her way down the road to the station. The Bellas' had gotten a great deal on rent for a house close to everything important to her at Barden, their auditorium, the spot she shared with Jesse, and the radio station. It was a bit of a way from the Treble's house, but that was fine. Sometimes a little distance made the heart grow fonder. She smiled at the idea of Jesse already being at the radio station. She could find out what happened last night to make him so happy.

As she opened the door to the station, she could hear one of her mixes playing on the air. Luke had really taken a shine to her music, and she loved it. "Guys?" she called, making her way through the station, "What the hell is so important?" She rounded a corner and came face to face with Luke and Jesse. Hugging. "This is weird…" she said.

They broke apart. Luke smiled at Beca. "You're late. I was just telling Jesse here that I have accepted a job at the radio station in the city, and he hugged me. He seems a little loopy today. Anyways, since you two are the only other people working here, I have decided to turn station manager duties over to you."

Beca squealed with delight. Running the station with Jesse would be awesome. Jesse stepped over to her. "Hey gorgeous," he said, "you pumped about this?"

She nodded and pulled him into a hug. "This is incredible. I can't wait to get started."

Luke coughed. "I don't want to sound rude or anything, but I mean, I am leaving and you'll probably never see me again, so… yeah."

"Ahh you're right! I'm gonna miss you Luke, you've been great," she said, walking over to give him a hug. She wasn't lying, she would miss him. His messing with Jesse often broke up the monotony of stacking the same cd's over and over again.

"Right then. First order of business, here are my keys to the station. Now, since you two will be the only ones here, you may want to hire a couple of students to help out. The records don't stack themselves you know," he added. "I leave the station to you, play whatever you want, no sex on the desk is still a rule." He smiled at them both. They'd been doing this for nearly a year and half, and they had become two of his closest friends. "I guess it's time for me to get going then. Good luck you two," he winked at them and left.

"So I guess we have the place all—Mmph," she was cut off when a certain pair of lips crashed into hers. Jesse couldn't hold back anymore. He'd been giddy with happiness since the night before. He'd finally heard her say it, those three little words that melted his heart. The kiss was cut short when she pulled back smiling. "And just what has gotten in to you today?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Oh nothing, just the girl of my dreams telling me she loved me," he said. A confused look came over her face. "Wait just a second… Tell me you remember last night," he begged.

She bit her lip, hesitant. She really didn't remember, but if she had said it, she was grateful to her drunk self. Somehow, saying it now would be easy as pie. "Don't freak out. I really have no idea what happened after the third beer or so. Maybe you should refresh my memory," she said, grinning.

"Typical. Fine. I carried you home, put you in your bed and kissed you goodnight. I said I loved you, and you said it back. So boom, there it is. You can't take it back now. You loooooove me," he sang, "l-o-v-e love me." He danced around her singing it over and over again.

"Keep it up, Swanson, you might never hear it again," she said. Was it really that easy? She just said it back without really thinking? Or even being conscious?

He stopped. "Fair enough. One of these days you're gonna say it sober, and I'm pretty sure it's gonna happen soon. But we can put that aside for right now; we've got a station to manage." He had been afraid she wouldn't remember, but it didn't faze him one bit. With the walls of sobriety down, she admitted her feelings. It was good enough for now.

They got to work setting up a schedule that would allow the station to pretty much run itself, but still give them time to work together. She already had a couple hundred playlists set up in the system to play overnight, allowing the place to be empty. The only thing left was to figure out who they could hire to help out.

"Just so you know, I'm gonna ask Bumper's little brother if he wants to do this. All the other guys I know are busy with their own jobs and whatnot, he's the only one available," said Jesse. "Do you think we should get another person just in case?"

"Why not? It would be nice to have another girl around to talk to when you're getting on my nerves… or getting me lunch," she said, grinning playfully. "I think Zoey would be a good fit. Besides, I want to get to know her better."

Jesse liked the idea. Having two people around would make this place livelier. "Sounds good to me. Who knows, maybe those two will get together too," he said, "After all, she's one of those a cappella girls, he's one of those a cappella boys, it's inevitable, really."

Beca laughed and wrapped her arms around Jesse's neck. "You are so goofy sometimes, you know that?" She kissed him, just a quick peck on the lips. "What makes you think those relationships work out?"

"Easy… Look at Stacie and Benji. They're practically attached at the hip," he replied, grinning.

"Oh really? And what about us?" she asked, her face inches away.

He was still smiling. She walked into that one. "We're getting there I guess. But I can't tell for sure."

Beca's phone buzzed with a text from Amy asking why she wasn't at the auditorium for the Bellas' first rehearsal. "Oh shit, I'm late," she said, gathering her things. "I was supposed to be at rehearsals twenty minutes ago. Call me later?" she added, hurrying out the door.

"Of course," he leaned out the door, watching her go. "I love you!" he shouted.

She turned around slowly, letting him get just a big flustered. She leaned in close and kissed him long and hard. "I love you too, dork."

"Now that wasn't so hard," he said. Besides the night of the finals when she kissed him for the first time, this was the happiest day of his life. "We'll continue this later."

With that, she was gone. He went back into the station and sat down in the booth. Life was perfect. They were in love, running a radio station together, the chess match between Luke and himself had come to an end, and here he was, smile permanently glued to his face, thinking about the kiss and her words. He sat in a daze for some time before he realized the station wasn't playing anything. Why not, he thought, grabbing the cd. He pushed play, leaned back, and listened to The Beatles sing She Loves You.

**Sorry this chapter was so short, I really just wanted to get it out of the way going into the weekend. Coming up is the first rehearsals and a joint performance at a frat party. Coming up later is the riff off. It's gonna be the tits.**


	5. Chapter 5

**So this is chapter five, I hope everyone enjoys it! Still seems kind of short, but I'm still trying to work through to the meat of the story.**

Beca was walking towards the auditorium, floating on air. She couldn't really believe it, after all, it was the first time she'd ever said those words. Three little words that send a relationship to another level. One moment, she was walking out of the radio station, the next, kissing Jesse and whispering the words he so wanted to hear. Three short words committing herself to him, for better or worse, for the rest of their lives. He was no longer just Jesse, just her boyfriend. He was her first love.

It felt incredible just thinking it. Walking through the campus, she would have never expected this. A little over a year ago, she had been fighting with her father, hating him for delaying the fulfillment of her dreams. She was going to go to LA, become a record producer, and spend her life making music. She hated the very idea of coming to Barden, forced to attend a university she thought she didn't belong at. How could she have known what awaited her at Barden? How could she have known that she would find a group of friends she wouldn't trade for a job in LA? How could she have possible expected to find Jesse?

She continued walking towards the auditorium, hardly paying attention to her surroundings. She completely lost track of time, forgetting she had somewhere to be. She was content to simply walk along, thinking about everything that had happened in the past year, smiling all the while. She thought about that night again. Their first kiss. She knew as soon as he raised his fist everything would be all right, still, she was nervous. Walking off that stage and making her way through the crowd to him was all at once the easiest and the hardest thing she'd ever done. On one hand, she knew she was doing it, so there was no use fighting it. On the other, it was well and truly insane. She'd designed the entire performance for him, built around their song. Time had stopped for her as soon as their lips met.

That night, they stayed up until the wee hours of the morning just talking. Talking about everything. There was no need for any apologies, all was forgiven with a kiss. They'd talked about the summer, making plans to spend time with each other. They talked about the competition, each of them endlessly complimenting each other on their performances. But mostly, they talked about how they felt.

Looking back on that night, Beca could picture everything. The hotel room they had shared after the competition. The look on his face as she started to kiss him again and again. The almost imperceptible look of disappointment that flashed across his features as she stopped him from taking off his clothes. She wasn't a virgin, that wasn't it. Beca had known at that point she would have slept with him easily. But not yet, she had thought. This was the first relationship she'd ever had where she cared more about the boy she was with than she did herself. She didn't want to cheapen it in some hotel room, before she could get used to what she felt. Someday, they would make love, but it would be on her terms, and if Jesse had anything to do with it, it would be perfect.

* * *

"You're late, homegirl," said Amy. The Bellas had stopped practicing when they heard the door open and slam shut.

"I know, I know, I know, I'm so sorry. You're not gonna believe the news I got this morning though. Guess who is running the radio station from now on?" said Beca, grinning.

The room exploded. "You're kidding! Luke put you in charge?" asked Cynthia Rose, patting her on the ass.

"Oh Beca, I'm so happy for you," said Stacie. They'd all known how important the radio station was to Beca. Besides being the place she could share her music with the entire city, it was the place she had first really gotten to know Jesse.

"I heard there have been fifteen murder suicides there since the 70's," whispered Lily.

"Jesus Christ, you're insane sometimes you know that?" said Fat Amy.

"Hold on, you work at a radio station?" asked Zoey.

"You didn't know that? I work, well, I guess I run it now, at the radio station on campus. As a matter of fact, I was talking to Jesse about it, and I was wondering if you wanted to come work there with us for the semester? We could really use a little more help," she said, seeing Zoey's grin grow to a smile.

"Oh my god, I would love to! I absolutely love making playlists on iTunes, I know I'd be great at this!" she excalimed.

"Well, at first you'll just be stacking cds and such. But I'm sure if you've got the talent you'll have all the opportunity to play some. Normally freshmen aren't allowed in the booth, but I've never been one to follow rules." said Beca. "Now let's get to work!"

Everyone looked at her oddly. "Umm, Beca, rehearsals are over... We only had the auditorium for an hour this morning. I mean, I sent you that text forty minutes ago, what the hell have you been doing since then?" said Amy, laughing at Beca's face.

"Seriously? I don't know what to say, I swear I must have completely forgotten what I was doing when I left the station," she tried to explain. "With everything that happened at the station and with Jesse, I just totally‒"

"What happened with Jesse?" asked Stacie, interrupting her.

Beca smiled. She didn't really want to tell her friends every little detail of her relationship with Jesse, but this was a big deal. And it seemed like something normal girls shared with their best friends. "I, uh, told him I loved him. It's no big‒" she was cut off again, this time by bonecrushing hug from Fat Amy. "Amy, you're crushing me," she breathed.

"Sorry, sorry, you're just such a skinny bitch I never know how hard to squeeze," said Amy, pulling back. "This is a huge step for you two. What the hell are you doing here? You should be off just railing each other in the back of a minivan!" she said, smacking Beca on the back.

"Guys, its not a big deal. We'll get to that at some point. So what did y'all do without me?" she asked. "I guess I'm expendable."

"Oh shut up, you know how much you mean to this group. We actually went through our entire set from finals. You would not believe how fast Courtney and Zoey picked it up. Courtney actually nailed every step after watching us once. She still needs some work on the singing, but she's totally money," said Cynthia Rose. "Zoey took all your spots and nailed them."

"Oh. That's great!" said Beca, trying not to look disappointed. She really wanted to knock the first rehearsal as the leader of the Bellas out of the park, but she figured she could just wait until the next rehearsal to really make her mark. "I'm glad, really. We can do it all again tomorrow at 4. I promise I won't be late. Now, do you guys want to go get some food? I am starving."

* * *

They went down to the pizza shop on campus, walking together happily. Beca loved this. Hanging out with all the Bellas, for the first time in her life, she felt like she belonged. They had all their ridiculous fights with each other, but none of them had ever lasted more than a day. The Bellas, in a word, were a family.

Sitting down at the table, the girls ordered a couple of pizzas and hung out for a while. They talked about nothing in particular, everyone was just trying to get a feel for the new girls. Courtney had gone to high school in Miami, living with her grandparents. She'd told them her parents had died when she was very young in a car accident. Beca couldn't imagine how rough that was on someone, after all, her parents were only divorced and she had trouble dealing with it sometimes. Courtney had been taking ballet since she was a toddler, and she'd fell completely in love with dancing. She loved the freedom and grace of moving across a stage, having all eyes on her. She wanted to be a dancer when she grew up, maybe even joining the ladies of Dancing with the Stars.

Zoey, on the other hand, had been a singer her entire life. She told them about her life growing up in Texas, and about the time she was on the show Barney and friends. The rest of the girls laughed and resolved to find every episode she was and watch them. Zoey's parents were both doctors, and often missed her performances, but they always found a way to see them on tape. She had moved across the country to Hollywood, where she was a cast member of The Mickey Mouse Club. She had left before meeting Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, and never got another chance to sing on television. She happened to be in New York for the ICCA finals, and it was there she decided to attend Barden and join the Bellas. Zoey felt that the Bellas were her best chance to be famous.

The girls sat and talked and ate, enjoying each others company and the beautiful weather. "And that ladies and gentlemen, was the song "I'll Stand by You" by The Pretenders. Up next, "I Melt With You" by Modern English. I just wanted to say this is one hell of a day and keep your radio tuned in right here for Swanson's Love Hour!" All of the girls laughed.

Beca groaned. Jesse was such a dork sometimes.

* * *

Jesse still couldn't believe it. If he had his way, he'd spend every day for the rest of his life with Beca, and by God, he would do whatever he could to make it happen. Shortly after "the moment," as he came to think of it, he'd called his mother.

"Hello?" he heard her voice through the speaker.

"Hey mom, it's me, are you busy?" he said.

"I can always make time for my baby boy. What's wrong? Your voice sounds shaky," she asked, slightly worried.

"It's nothing bad mom, I just wanted to talk to you about something. Do you remember the girl I told you about over the summer, Beca Mitchell?" he asked. Jesse had never kept anything from his mother, and sometimes was called a mama's boy because of it. He didn't care though, she always gave the best advice.

"Of course, dear, how is she?" his mother asked.

"Well, I just wanted you to know, I, uh, told her I loved her, and she said it back and‒" he was cut off by a loud screech from the other end of the phone.

"Oh my god, honey, your father and I will be there next week, we just have to meet this girl. I am so happy for you. God, I can't wait to meet her. You tell her we'll be there next weekend, and we'll take you both out to a nice dinner and we can just talk about everything. Oh, my hands are shaking, I've waited for this moment for so long now. I'm so happy!"

Jesse couldn't get a word in. Telling his mother he'd see her next week, he hung up and went through almost the exactly same conversation with his older sister. It was always an adventure with his family, but he loved them nonetheless. He texted Beca to let her know about the plans for next weekend.

* * *

"Oh Jesus," said Beca, glancing at her phone.

"What happened?" asked Stacie.

"I have to meet his parents next week." she explained.

**OK, so slight cliffhanger here, and the chapter kinda changed from what I had planned. But a quick preview, next chapter will be more Treble focused, and I really want to somehow get the two groups together at a big frat party and have a duet between my favorite couple. After that will come the dinner with the parents, and I can't remember what I have planned for after that. I think the riff off will be around chapter 9, and I have been thinking about that scene since I started writing this. I'm also gonna edit the story preview and give people more of an idea of where this story is going. As always, I effing love your reviews. I check my email all the time to see if anyone new favorited or followed my story, but the reviews send shivers down my spine. So thank you.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okie doke, this is chapter 6 I think? Kind of a weird chapter. I hope everyone enjoys it.**

* * *

Jesse woke up Monday morning as he usually did. His alarm went off at 8:00 AM, he pounded the snooze button, intending to sleep just a little bit longer, but he rarely ever did. Instead, Jesse's thoughts turned to Beca, just as they did every morning. He'd spend ten minutes lying in bed, eyes closed, just thinking about her. Her laugh. The face she made when she didn't want to laugh at him and tried to hold it back. Her incredible voice. The way she sarcastically made fun of his goofy movie lines. Her perfume. The way she kissed him. Her slightly scary style. But most of all, he replayed the moment in his mind over and over again. Ever since that morning at the radio station, Jesse had felt... _different. _In reality, nothing had changed. They already loved each other, they just said it out loud for once. But to him, the world was just a little bit happier, the sun shined a little bit brighter, and the grass was a little bit greener.

The day before, he didn't get the chance to see Beca. They texted, chatted a little bit over facebook, but they were both so busy with rehearsals and the radio station that they didn't have a chance to get together. It sucked, but he couldn't complain. Rehearsals went better than he could have dreamed. Returning an entire team with only one replacement made things a million times easier. The guys were nailing every note, hitting every choreographed spot, and Bumper's little brother Eric was the life of the party. It didn't even feel like work. It felt more like a group of friends just dicking around and singing.

He groaned. Jesse didn't feel like going to class. He loved the class, Intro to Film Scoring, but this morning all he wanted to do was rest. They had all stayed up way too late hanging out and being typical college kids. They played beer pong, drank, played rock band, drank, ordered pizza to the Bella house, drank, and passed out. He was hungover, his leg hurt for some reason, and he was afraid to open his eyes and see the destruction downstairs.

The alarm went off again. The very idea of going to class hungover filled him with dread. What could he do? He'd never missed class before, and he wasn't about to start now. Rolling out of bed, he stretched and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. This day already sucked. He grabbed a shirt out of his closet and a pair of jeans. He hobbled to the shower, wondering what the hell he did to his knee, and turned the water on. He sat down for a moment, eyes closed again, rubbing his sore leg. He could feel a bruise coming on. Rather than actually take a shower, he plugged the drain and relaxed, taking a nice long soak. He had brought his Mac into the bathroom with him, deciding to throw on a movie while he bathed. He checked his email, hoping that maybe class would be canceled for no good reason at all. There just so happened to be an email from Beca.

_Since I assume you're passed out on a couch, and I don't really want to talk, I just want to tell you you're a real dick sometimes. I know it was you guys who ordered not one, not two, but sixteen pizzas to our house last night. And oh, by the way, it just happened to be at 2 o'clock in the morning? Total dick move. But just so you know, whatever idiot placed the order used his own credit card. We're awfully sorry, but someone has a 250 dollar charge for pizza. Amy isn't the kind of girl to turn down free food. _

_I love your stupid ass, _

_Beca_

Jesse snorted. The memories of the previous night started to come back. He remembered it had been Donald's idea to order the pizzas, but Benji had placed the order. He felt bad, knowing he'd have to get the guys to pay him back. He remembered playing rock band, rocking out on the drums. It was about that time he remembered everyone taking turns riding their mattresses down the stairs, and his own trip ending in a somersault with his leg slamming into the banister. You couldn't put that many guys in a house and expect them not to do dumb stuff.

* * *

His class had gone by incredibly slowly. What the hell had he been thinking, signing up for a class at 9 AM? Beca was smart, she didn't schedule anything earlier than noon. She also only took classes that went Monday-Wednesday and Tuesday-Thursday. No Friday classes for her. Jesse couldn't even covertly text her yet. She wouldn't be up for at least two hours. Instead, he spent the class with his head down, leaving his teacher to wonder why one of her most passionate students was asleep in his favorite class. His next class was at 10:30. Finally deciding that there was no point in attending a class that he would practically be comatose in, he grabbed his backpack, and headed for the cafeteria.

* * *

"Can I take your order?" asked the cashier.

"Yeah, can I get two small coffees, one of those pink donuts with the sprinkles, and two raspberry muffins, please?" said Jesse, reaching for his wallet.

"Sure, that'll be $6.50," she answered, handing him the coffees and a small bag. She took his cash and made change. "Here you go, have a nice day!"

"Thanks, you too!" he said, heading out the door. He felt like surprising Beca with a nice breakfast. They both loved raspberry muffins, but the donut was a special treat. For him, actually. For some reason, pink donuts were his favorite. He walked to Beca's house, eating the donut on the way. It was still about an hour until Beca's alarm would go off, but he figured he'd wake her up himself, and give her a nice treat.

Jesse walked up to the door and knocked. There was no answer. Letting himself in with the key Beca gave him (that no one else knew about), he made his way up to her room. He knocked quietly and opened the door. "Beca? You awake?" he asked.

"Ughhhh," she moaned from under a pile of blankets and pillows. "Go away... Sleepy time," she said, covering herself with even more pillows.

"I brought muffins and coffee," he said, waving the bag around.

She was up in a flash. Knocking the lid off her cup, she swallowed half the coffee in one big gulp. She grabbed the bag out of Jesse's hand and took a massive bite out of one of the muffins, washing it down with the rest of the coffee. "Mmmphh mmpph," the sound came out of her mouth, but Jesse could swear it wasn't anywhere close to English.

"Good morning to you too. I take it you liked the muffin?" he asked, bemused.

She swallowed. "I said it was delicious, don't you ever listen?" she said, grinning at her boyfriend.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were just forcing a muffin the size of my fist down your throat and accidently made a noise," he said, laughing at her. "So, sorry about the pizza thing, it wasn't my idea."

"Yeah. Uh huh. Sure," she said, oozing with sarcasm.

"I swear, it was Donald's idea, and Benji placed the order. Blame those guys." He walked over to her bed, limping, and sat down. "So I had an idea–"

"What happened to your leg?" asked Beca, sitting down next to him. "You're walking like a one legged kangaroo. Oh my god, I'm turning into Amy," she trailed off.

He put on a brave face. "Oh nothing, we were all hanging out and some guy almost hit Unicycle with his car... and I saved his life. No big deal."

"Right. What really happened? Did one of you idiots decide jumping out of the window onto a pile of thin pillows was a badass idea?" she asked, rubbing his sore leg.

"Close enough. So anyways, like I was say–"

"What are you doing here anyways? Don't you have class right now?

"I decided to skip it and spend–"

"You skipped a class? Jesse Swanson, Mr. Perfect Attendance, skipped a class? Are you feeling alright? Did someone die?"

"I was hungover this morning, and I didn't feel like dealing with it today. So–"

"This is stunning. Jesse Swanson skipped a class to–"

"Would you please stop talking for just a second? I wanted to see if you wanted to hang out today," he said, exasperated. Beca wasn't a morning person, but get a muffin in her and she put Kelly Ripa to shame.

She smiled. "Sorry. You know what muffins do to me."

"Great, so let's go–"

"Gotta stop you right there, tiger. I have a test today, and I actually can't miss this. You're on your own. Could you hand me a towel?"

He sighed. Of all the days to skip for a day with Beca, it had to be the one she couldn't skip. Typical. He reached behind him and grabbed a towel for her. "Yeah, here."

"Don't be like that. We can do something tonight," she said.

"I can't tonight. We've got a frat party we're performing at Saturday night. We need to rehearse."

"Oh really? We do too. We're doing the joint Tri-Delts and Kappas party."

"Oh shit. I guess we'll see you guys there."

"Huh?" she said, confused. "You guys are doing the same party?"

"Yeah, the Kappas asked us if we could do it. How'd you guys get involved?"

"The Tri-Delts asked us if we wanted to sing some songs from finals and any new stuff we had. We agreed. I didn't know you guys would be there too. This could be awkward." She walked to the bathroom. "Gimme a sec, I need a shower. I smell like crap."

"This could be a good thing," he said through the door. "We can treat it like an early competition."

"I guess you're right. You nerds better bring the heat. You've got the reigning champions all up in your business, and we are gonna make you look like a bunch of second-rate, John Mayer backup singers."

"We'll see." Jesse sat back down on the bed, waiting for her to finish her shower. He could smell her perfume on the bed, wondering why she said she smelled like crap. If you asked him, she smelled like heaven. He lay down on the bed, closing his eyes. His head still ached. His leg felt the same. His stomach felt weird.

"Wake up, goofball," said Beca, poking his ribs. "I've got to go to class, and I don't think you really want to be here when the girls get back."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going," he said, getting up slowly. "By the way, my parents can't wait for this weekend."

"Don't remind me, please. I am terrible with other people's parents. This has disaster written all over it," she said.

He wrapped her in a hug. "Relax. Just be yourself and they'll love you as much as I do." She raised her eyes to his, slipping her arms around his neck.

"I love you," she said, pulling his head down. They kissed. Jesse's stomach flipped, but he knew it had nothing to do with the hangover.

He pulled back. "I know."

She punched him. "You are such a nerd. How long have you been waiting to use that line on someone?"

"Only since I saw the movie," he said, grinning. He kissed the top of her head again and said, "Good luck on your test. I'll call you later, yeah?"

"Can't wait." She kissed him again on the cheek, grabbed her bag and his hand, and led them out of her room and out of the house. "I know this is your first time skipping, but don't get too crazy. I like my Jesse just the way he is."

Just like that, she was gone. His face fell. Spending time with Beca was number one on his list of things to do today, and it looked like those plans just took a swan dive straight into a garbage can. He decided to walk back to the house and just relax for the rest of the day.

* * *

"Dude, where the hell have you been?" asked Donald. The guys were all sitting around the table, drinking water. There was an open bottle of aspirin sitting in the middle.

"I went to my first class, skipped the second, and had lunch with Beca. What are you guys doing? Didn't any of you have class today?"

"Dude, don't you remember last night? Getting wasted? There was no way we were going to class today," said Unicycle, exasperated.

"Yeah man, F that noise. I'm not dealing with class with a hangover. I can barely handle it normal. Grab a seat, relax," said Kolio.

He sat down, grabbing a couple of aspirin. "Oh Benji, by the way, do you remember ordering those pizzas last night?"

"Ha ha yeah, we got them good, huh? What did Beca say?" he asked.

"Yeah about that... You used your own card to pay for them. It was like 250 bucks dude. Sorry."

The table exploded with laughter. Benji's face fell. "Oh no. Guess I'm not going to Comic Con this year."

Donald slapped him on the back. "Relax bro, we can pay you back from the house fund. Bumper was kind of a shitty leader, but he always kept the money from our performances in an account in case of emergencies."

"Since we're all here," said Unicycle, "should we get started on the setlist for the party this weekend?"

"That reminds me... The Bella's are performing there too. I guess they asked us both." said Jesse.

"Oh sweet. We can finally get those girls back for the Finals. We need to stomp. Them. OUT!" said Donald.

* * *

The Trebles spent the rest of the week rehearsing. They wanted this to be their coming out party, announcing to the school that they meant business. Jesse went to bed Friday night with that familiar feeling in his stomach, the one he always got before a big performance. This time though, he couldn't tell if it was because of the party, or the impending dinner with Beca and his parents.

* * *

**I know it doesn't advance the story a whole hell of a lot, but the next chapter will be the dinner with the Swansons, chapter eight will be the party, and nine will be the riff off. After that, the story is going to take a bit of a turn at Regionals. Again, I just want to thank everyone who has read this. I enjoy reading your reviews, and even more than those, I love reading everyone else's stories. I'll try and update again soon!**


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